McCain will not ask me to be running mate: Jindal

Washington, Feb 18 (IANS) Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has said probable presidential nominee for the Republican Party John McCain will not ask him to be his vice-presidential mate even though his name was circulating in some conservative circles. “He’s not going to ask me,” Jindal said when asked what his response would be if Senator McCain asked him to be his running mate.

He reasoned that his focus is on Louisiana, the state he took over as governor only last month. “I’ve been elected. I’ve told the people of Louisiana, this is our chance to fix our state, and I mean that. I don’t think we’ll get this chance again in our lifetimes. So it is my responsibility to work with the legislature and the voters,” he said on CNN’s Late Edition.

“We’re in the middle of an historic ethics session. I promise your viewers this - we’ll move Louisiana from the bottom five to the top five when it comes to ethics and good government,” Jindal said.

Jindal’s name had started doing the rounds in the media speculation of No 2 candidate for the Grand Old Party because its candidate for the Nov 4 presidential election is very much locked up.

Jindal’s name attracted more buzz after Rush Limbaugh, a popular talk show host, brought it up in his show a few days ago and said the 36-year-old is a true-blue conservative and the next Ronald Reagan.

Some political commentators have said that Jindal, born of Indian American immigrant parents, as running mate may help McCain against the Democratic candidate, who will be either a woman or an African American. Jindal may also be good for McCain, who is seen as not conservative enough, they add.

But Jindal has some distance to cover still, Upendra Chivukula, four-time member of the New Jersey assembly, told IANS.

“What will be seen is how well he governs Louisiana, perhaps the most corrupt state in the US.

“But, yes, he has shown that we all have opportunity to rise to the highest office in this country,” Chivukula said.